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Jeff made an Amazon Wishlist a while ago and kept telling me I should make one too. Only I don't want a lot of random stuff from Amazon really. So I decided I would make one here. There are always lots of things I want but of course it's hard to make yourself remember wants vs. needs. But a little daydreaming can't hurt I guess. And hey, Oprah does her favorite things every year, so here is my list.

My new favorite thing is a pedicure from Island Pedicures. My girlfriend gave me this for my birthday and I just used it recently. It was a little slice of Hawaii right here at home. Mmmm. Happiness.

Some of my all-time favorite stores are The Container Store, Scrapbook Island (no website, shocking!), Janeville and Benefit in Los Gatos. Each are special little places that delight me.

Oh and lately I am noticing a lack of normal kitchen items. Like I broke my favorite, beautiful, 9x12 baking dish. It was from Crate & Barrel in another lifetime but it was all mine and ivory with scallopped edges. I doubt I'll ever find anything similar but a little Le Creuset never hurt anyone and a 9x12 dish is a kitchen staple. I could also use a very large mixing bowl. As well as a non-wing whatever you call it wine opener. I read Wine for Dummies recently and they are the worst wine opener as they break the corks all the time. See, it is not that I am clumsy, it is the tool I was using.

Speaking of wine, I have not been misled once by the fine people at The Grapevine here in Willow Glen. Red, red wine, but not "plummy" wines, that's my theme song. And whites only if they are buttery, buttery, buttery. (I am SUCH a sommelier with my sophisticated wine terms).

I am trying to revamp myself into a city slicker career woman instead of the frumpy stay-home mom that I am, so black is back. I would love some black boots that fit me (been looking to no avail), a soft black leather purse and matching wallet. All clean lines, no crazy embellishments or seams or complicated anythings. And I know I just over-indulged and got a beautiful black wool/cashmere coat but would it be so awful if I had one in camel also? Camel is soo cool, so elegant, so sophisticated. Everything I want to be and more.

A haircut would be nice. Seeing how my hair has been so hideous. all. year. long.

Lastly, books. I cut buying books out a long time ago and I do miss it. I indulge with magazines a fair amount but it would be fun to go pick a shiny, new book out once a year.

Now I'm going to switch gears and dream big. There are lots of things in my house that drive me INSANE. Considering this would be a terrible time to try to sell, and the thought of where to go gives me heart palpitations, I must go on living in it for the foreseeable future.

Here is my laundry list of Things That Bug Me At The Moment:

1. No ground cover in the front yard. Dirt, dirt, dirt. And that plus a puppy means no rugs to catch any of this dirt. Which leads to a serious lung-clogging build-up of dust on an almost daily basis. I kid you not. And this is not the Virgo speaking either. It is awful.

2. Truly f*d up electrical issues. Like having to go under my sink to plug & unplug the disposal and dishwasher so I can use both appliances every day. And how about a reliable hall light? Yeah that would be dreamy, to be able to walk down the narrow hallway without tripping. Speaking of tripping, a light in the garage that is attached to the wall switch would save countless anxiety attacks and nipped ankles in the night. And since I'm in electrical land, a light over my dining "area" would be nice. So I Could See My Food. Especially considering I have a lovely pendant lamp just sitting in the ever-dark garage all lonely and wanting to be useful.

3. The kitchen floor. I dream of bashing the living daylights out of the crappy, small, overly colorful tiles the design-challenged previous owner installed.

4. A new kitchen cupboard so I can install (err...have Jeff and his dad install) the microwave/hood combo we have sitting in the garage, also lonely and wanting to be useful.

5. Finish the bathroom: get the part so we can put the shower valve cover back on, get baseboards and new door moulding, seal and install the wood shelves I made, put the pedestal back under our stupid pedestal sink.

Well, well, well. That's a list long enough to scare Santa away to outer space for the rest of my life. Blame it on Jeff, this was his idea.